Where My Demons Hide
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: Rumbelle AU. Belle is a peasant fleeing a loveless marriage. Rumplestilskin has been forced into a deal he didn't want to make. The two are about to become the key players in the ultimate battle between good and evil. Can the fragile love between them survive the demons both outside and within?
1. Chapter 1

Once Upon a Time © ABC.

An: This is obviously a Rumbelle AU. I'm gonna post this chapter and see if anyone actually wants to read this. Review if you do, ignore if you don't, you guys know how it's played. Also, any OC-ness will be explained in later chapters.

**1**

She barely breathes as she opens the door to her cottage. In the other room, her husband sleeps soundly, unaware of her intentions. A shiver runs through her.

He'll kill her if he finds her.

She remembers when her father married her off to Gaston. She thought the world of him then. She thought he would be kind and gentle, everything she had ever read about. Love is supposed to be the most wonderful thing in the world. That's what her books told her. Then the time came for them to consummate their wedding.

He was cruel to her. He's been cruel to her ever since. She can't stay here a minute longer, not with this beast for a husband. She wraps her cloak tighter around her and slips out into the night.

She hopes no one will recognize her. She cut her hair, her brown chestnut curls now coming to just beneath her chin. Her dresses and aprons have been traded for trousers and peasant's shirts. She doesn't exactly look like a boy, but no longer does she look like Belle.

Especially not with the fresh scar that runs the length of her face, from the corner of her left eye to the left corner of her mouth. Her father hasn't seen that yet. She hasn't been outside since it happened. Until now.

She walks quietly down the lane until she reaches the city limits. Then she runs, pack bouncing on her back, cloak flaring out behind her. She flees like the hellhounds are after her, and she doesn't stop until spots start to dance in front of her eyes. She leans over, takes a few deep breaths, and takes off again as soon as she's able.

If she can make it until the next night, she might just be free.

/-/

Not too far away from Belle's village, just outside of the Dark Castle, Rumplestilskin finds himself facing a rather unusual predicament. The Blue Faerie is in front of him, blocking his access to his home, and worse yet – she has his dagger.

Oh, not on her, of course; she was at least smart enough to ditch it somewhere safe before confronting him. He can also tell she hasn't accessed its magick – he feels no compulsion to obey her. Still, he doesn't know where it is, and until he does, he can't kill her. He bares his teeth in a snarl.

"What are you doing, dearie?"

"Asking for a deal." the faerie responds. "I have something you want."

"Something you stole, more like." he bites out.

She smiles. "You should have hid it better, Dark One."

"It's been 200 years; I think I hid it pretty well." he retorts. "Enough of the chit-chat – what kind of deal are you after?"

"I will give you back your dagger – after you make a journey for me."

He blinks. "A journey?"

"Yes. I want you to travel from here to wherever you choose. You have to be traveling though, and you can't do it with magick – you have to walk there like everyone else. And the journey has to take three months. After that, I will find you and give you back the dagger."

He scowls. She's thought this one over carefully. "And I'll gut you with it."

"Perhaps." She smiles. "Do we have a deal, Rumplestilskin?"

He doesn't like the way she says his name. He doesn't like the slight sneer, the way she looks at him like he's worthless. He'd rather be feared than distained – or both.

No doubt she's hoping he'll _learn_ something on this little journey. After all, isn't that the reason faeries meddle – to teach life lessons to unwilling victims? Still, she never specified that in the deal. He smiles. She's not as good as she thinks after all. She also never specified what he's allowed to do while he travels. "We have a deal, dearie." With that he picks a direction at random and sets off.

This might just be fun. At the very least, he'll show her why _no one_ screws with the Dark One.

The Blue Faerie watches him go, a satisfied smile on her face. By now Belle is on the move, and soon the two will cross paths. The faerie knows what Belle is capable of. She, if anyone, can tame the Dark One just long enough.

Rumplestilskin will never get back his dagger. Not if the faerie's plan goes exactly as she wants. He'll either be free – or dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

She's exhausted, scared, and hungry, but that doesn't stop her from wielding her stick like it's a sword. The three men surround her, all bigger and stronger, but Belle can't back down. She knows exactly what they want. They make no effort to hide the lust in their eyes. She feels their gaze like a physical touch, and it makes her want to throw up.

They've already gotten in a few good hits. She's been running non-stop through the night, not pausing for longer than it takes to catch her breath, and now she's paying for it with trembling muscles and a growling stomach. Still, she lifts her stick and falls back into a defensive stance.

From the shadows, Rumplestiltskin watches. He chose this path because he was least likely to run into humans here, but it seems like someone else had the same idea. He can see the tremors racing through the young woman's body. She won't be able to last very long in a fight against three fully-grown men. She'll surrender in a few minutes, no doubt, and the men will take what they want and leave.

His eyes narrow in distaste. He's never had much use for rapists. The girl will call for help soon enough, and he'll rid her of her pests. For a price, of course. He'll ask for a favor to be filled at a later date, just so he can keep up his image. It wouldn't do for the Dark One to give out help for _free_.

So he watches her fight. He watches as the men overpower her, knock aside her stick and begin tearing at her clothes. He watches as she kicks and screams and bites, does everything in her power to stop them, and they just get rougher and rougher, and suddenly he realizes what she's doing.

She knows she's alone. So she's going to make them kill her before they can rape her. She's going to make them fight for everything they get from her.

This is a woman with nothing to lose.

Belle feels sick. She can barely fight, can hardly breathe, and she knows she is going to die here, beaten and alone. She wants to cry, but she doesn't have the air. In a last ditch attempt to protect herself, she raises her arms to cover her head.

Suddenly, the men stop hurting her. They're focused somewhere else. She hears a voice above her.

"Touch her again. I dare you."

One of the men snort. "I don't take orders from something like you!" he snarls. Rumplestiltskin chuckles.

"Oh dearie, it wasn't an _order_." he says.

Belle isn't sure what happens next. She hears one of the men move, then the screaming begins. When it ends, she uncurls from her protective ball. Her breath catches in her throat.

The men are dead. There's a fourth man, covered in blood, surveying his handiwork with an air of satisfaction. "I hate rapists." he mutters darkly. Slowly, he turns his attention to Belle. She takes him in with wide eyes. Curly, almost tangled hair, leather pants and what appears to be a leather tunic. She can't really tell.

Rumplestiltskin crouches down beside her. "Are you all right, dearie?" He gently touches her shoulder. Belle can't answer him. Her mouth is dry. She can see his eyes. They're dark, almost reptilian, and his skin has a scaly, golden sheen. But his hands are soft as he turns her over, and she can't bring herself to make a sound of protest. He sighs. "Looks like you're in a bit of a mess, dearie. No bother, no bother, I'll fix you up just right."

He's not entirely too sure why he's doing this. Still, there's a plan forming, even if it is a half-assed one. Any woman who can fend off three fully-grown men, even for a while, has to be someone worth talking too, right? At the very least, she'll keep him from getting bored. He lifts her into his arms and considers.

Well, the least he can do is get her away from here. He picks a direction at random and starts walking.

/-/

When Belle wakes, the scenery has changed. She can hear running water. Slowly, she opens her eyes.

The stranger is still standing there, no longer covered in blood, watching her intently. She struggles to sit up. Too fast for her to see, he has a hand at her shoulder, helping her up. "Steady, dearie. You're a bit dehydrated." he says. "Would you like some water?" He doesn't wait for a response, but rather hands her a tin cup. She takes it with shaking hands and drinks. He helps her hold the cup steady until she's done. "Better, dearie?"

Now she thinks she can actually speak – her tongue doesn't seem to take up the entirety of her mouth anymore. "Yes. Thank you."

He smiles. His teeth are as discolored as the rest of him, but now that's he's clean, she finds he's no longer fearsome. "Good, good. Now, what's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?"

She smiles faintly. "Running away."

"Running away?" Really, this is getting more interesting by the minute. "From what, dearie?"

She crosses her arms over her chest. "Usually I save the life histories for people whose names I know." she says, a small smile on her face. He giggles. Oh, yes, he definitely likes this one. He stands up and bows with a flourish.

"Rumplestiltskin, at your service."

Her eyes widen. "The Dark One?"

He flashes his teeth in a grin. "The one and only."

For a long moment, she simply stares at him. For a moment, he thinks she's going to scream, or run away, and frankly that just won't do. Not when he's actually interested in this girl. Before he can think of anything to say to stave off the impending freak-out, she surprises him by bowing as well as she can while sitting on the ground.

"Pleased to meet you, Rumplestiltskin. I'm Belle." She looks herself over. "Did you carry me here?" There's no blood on her, but all things considered, that's the least strange thing that's happened to her. The idea of the Dark One helping her for no reason makes her head spin. It doesn't fit with what she knows of him, with what she's read.

"Perhaps. Couldn't very well leave you there, now could I?" he says cheekily. "That wouldn't have been chivalrous."

"And here I thought chivalry was dead, but here it is in the Dark One no less." There's a light tease in her voice, but also a deep sadness. He files that away for later reference. She finally meets his gaze. "Thank you for saving me."

"Not at all, dearie – I do despise rapists." She shivers at the word. He smiles faintly. "Not to worry. They will not harm another soul."

"I'm glad of it." She makes to stand, stumbles a little, and straightens carefully. "Well, thank you for all your help, but I should get going."

"Going where, dearie?" She just shrugs. "How about we make a deal?"

"Why would I deal with you?"

He grins. "I did just save your life."

She actually laughs at that. It surprises him. "Okay – what are you proposing?"

"You travel with me. I have no more a destination than you do. Perhaps we'll find one together." He's not sure why, exactly, he likes the woman – this Belle – but he does. There's something about her, either her strength or her past, that draws him like a moth to the flame.

Cowards are always attracted to bravery, and she has that in spades.

She tilts her head to the side, considering. "For how long?"

Rumplestiltskin shrugs. "How about three months?" He'll have company, at any rate.

Belle nods. "Sounds fair. But one thing – I request protection on this trip."

He arches an eyebrow. "Protection?"

"Nothing unreasonable. Just – protection."

He watches her closely for a moment. "Alrighty then. But you have to ask for it."

Belle nods and holds out her hand. He takes it. "You have a deal, Rumplestiltskin."


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

The first few days, they make little progress in their journey. Belle, in her desperation to put as much distance between her and Gaston as quickly as possible, has worked herself beyond what a night's sleep will repair. They follow the river, and she feels like she has drank more in these few days than she has her entire life. At the very least, she refuses to go through her provisions so fast. She needs to avoid towns for as long as possible.

Surprisingly, Rumplestiltskin doesn't seem bothered by this. Belle figured he would have run off by now, ditched her somewhere (or at least insisted she move faster), but he has done nothing but walk patiently by her side. It surprises her. Gaston would never show her such courtesy. She finds herself enchanted by it.

For his part, the imp is completely unaware of his companion's thoughts. There are few things he has retained from his humanity, but being at least somewhat courteous towards women is one of them. Besides, it's not like this is his journey. If she needs to go slow, they'll go slow. Serve the Blue Faerie right if in three months he didn't make it further than five miles from his home.

Their conversations are varied those first days, barely touching the important things. She tells him a little of why she is running. He knows she flees an unhappy marriage, but she doesn't tell him of Gaston's cruelty. He tells her something of his deal with the faerie. She knows nothing of the dagger, or its control over him.

She finds his deals fascinating. They speak at length of them, and Rumplestiltskin finds the woman has a keen mind for dealing. He will always remember her first reaction when he told her of the Blue Faerie's stipulations.

"I would have just walked circles around my home." she had said. "It would be funny, seeing her reaction."

Rumplestiltskin had thrown his head back and laughed, a high pitched, maniacal giggle, and she had laughed with him. It felt good.

On the third day, Belle is well enough that she doesn't feel the need to sleep the instant they settle in for the night. So instead she reaches into her satchel and pulls out a book. It is the only one she dared bring with her, a small leather bound volume that doesn't weigh much. She opens it up and begins to read.

After about three lines, Rumplestiltskin interrupts her. "You can read?"

She startles. "Well, yes." She sets the book down and looks over at him. He's watching her rather intently. "Once, the nobleman of my village intended to marry me. He taught me how, because all proper women know at least the basics of reading." She smiles faintly. "I don't think he was counting on me becoming obsessed with it."

He watches the way she curls in on herself, unconsciously drawing her book into her lap and away from him. He knows fear when he sees it, even well-concealed fear. He inspires enough of it. "What happened to the nobleman?"

"He was killed in war."

"And you went back to being just a peasant, and peasant women do not read." A sneer curls his lips, but she relaxes almost instantly. She knows his anger is not directed at her, and that makes him wonder. He's been around often enough to know the special set of circumstances that forces a person to learn when someone is angry at them or just angry in general.

She says her marriage was unhappy. Perhaps it was something more as well. He'll find out soon enough.

He leans forward. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

She shrugs. "You saved me." she says bluntly. "Why should I fear you?"

"Because I'm the Dark One?" he replies in kind. "I'm the maker of deals that do nothing but hurt! Everyone fears me." Except maybe the Blue Faerie, but that's something he intends to change.

Belle just shakes her head. "I know. But I'm not afraid of you. I can't be."

"Hm." He considers her a moment, then waves his hand. "Well, read your book and go to sleep. We'll start off early tomorrow." She smiles at him and returns to her book, almost immediately losing herself in its pages. He wants to ask what it's about, but instead he just leaves well enough alone.

He may have her for three months, but it still won't do to get too attached. She'll leave then.

The next day they come across a village. There's a deal to be made here; he knows it – he can feel the desperate soul calling out, begging for a chance to change his fate. He starts forward, but Belle hangs back. He turns back to call her forward, but stops short when he sees her.

She's terrified. Her eyes are wide, her hands shaking. "I – I don't need any provisions." she stammers. "I can meet you on the other side and – "

He cuts her off. "How close are we to your village?"

She lets out a shuddering breath. "Too close."

For a long moment, he considers her. There is a deal to be made here, and it's a good one. He already knows it will work out in his favor. Still, he can't really ignore her terror. He sighs. "Go around then, dearie. I'll be quick."

"Thank you." she breathes. He watches her vanish into the woods before venturing into the town on his own. He pulls the hood of his traveling cloak over his head, masking his appearance. He would much rather just appear beside the desperate soul, but the damn faerie was very specific. No magickal traveling allowed. Shame. He could be done with this so much sooner.

He doesn't bother to figure out why it matters so much, that he not leave Belle alone for too long. It just does, and he accepts that. He's sure she'll annoy him at some point, and he'll find a reason to ditch her. Until then, he'll just take it as it comes. He's versatile that way.

The desperate soul is on the other side of town, in a run-down hovel, a two year old girl playing in the front yard – if one wants to call it that. It's a patch of grass with a few wilting flowers growing in it. Distantly, Rumplestiltskin is aware of Belle hiding in the woods just to the left of the house – close enough to see, but distant enough to not be seen. Clever girl.

"And who calls upon me from this wee hovel?" he asks, pulling his hood back. The father stands up quickly and orders his daughter – Grace – inside. Rumplestiltskin smiles. The father shivers.

"My name is Jefferson." the father says stiffly. "You must be the Dark One."

"Rumplestiltskin, at your service." He gives the same flourishing bow as when he introduced himself to Belle, but their reactions cannot be more different. Belle is not afraid of him. This man is. He shrinks back from the gesture that made Belle smile.

"I – I need help." Jefferson stammers. "My girl – my Grace – she's so little, she's going to starve if I can't do something to feed her. The mushrooms aren't growing this year."

Of course. He's a harvester. That explains so much about his situation. Still – "No rain, no mushrooms." Rumplestiltskin says calmly. "All harvesters know that. You were the one who chose to have a daughter to care for on top of that, knowing the instability."

Jefferson sighs. "I'm aware. But she's not mine, not like that. I found her. Her parents abandoned her, so I took her in."

"Equally foolish." This man will prove useful. Not only does he have a hidden power, he has that edge of long-seated desperation about him. The mushrooms could start growing tomorrow, and he'll still be calling out to someone for some reason. All because of this child he took in. Rumplestiltskin gives a theatrical sigh. The deal itself won't be profitable, but the seed it will plant is. Jefferson will come back to him eventually. "Well, I suppose I can help you – for a price."

"I have nothing."

"But you will, one day." He leans forward. "When you do, I'll come collect a favor." That makes him grin. "Do we have a deal?"

Jefferson nods. "Deal."

Foolish man. Rumplestiltskin nods to the house. "Let your Grace go collect the mushrooms. Rain or not, she'll always find them." He doesn't stick around long enough to hear Jefferson's thanks. He just pulls his cloak over his head and treks out to the woods where Belle waits.

She falls into step beside him. "Is he a friend?"

He smiles tightly. "He'll be an ally." he corrects. "I don't have friends."

That makes her chuckle. "Well, maybe that will change." she says simply.

"Hn. Maybe."


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

Even though Belle is now able to travel quickly, Rumplestiltskin still allows her to set the pace of their travels. They go into towns when he can sense a deal, and after that first time Belle follows him in. She no longer seems quite so afraid, and for that Rumplestiltskin is grateful. He doesn't like fear he doesn't inspire.

Besides, he prefers to think of Belle as fearless as opposed to just unafraid of _him_. That's just bad for business.

A week passes, and it surprises him how fast the time goes with someone to share it with. He's equally surprised by how attached he already is to Belle. He wants to claim her as his friend, but he's aware how dangerous that is. One does not achieve his level of power and remain without enemies. There will always be someone who will want to kill him, hurt him, and he can't afford to have a weakness.

Not that he considers Belle a weakness. Actually, he laughs at the poor idiot who thinks he can take what he wants from her. She'll beat him down.

Which is proven in the first town they enter for the week. Rumplestiltskin lets Belle procure a room for them for the night. Just one room, two beds – it's not so different from sleeping outside on either side of a campfire. Belle doesn't seem disturbed by it, so he doesn't let it bother him.

It is, however, the first time he's shared a room with _anyone_, for any reason, in a very long time.

They go down to the tavern before retiring for the night. Rumplestiltskin finds a booth hidden in a dark corner – it really won't do for him to get noticed here, of all places. The tavern appears to be a favorite of the local knights. His lip curls in a sneer that his hood hides.

Belle sits down in front of him and hands him his drink. "Here." She takes a sip of her own drink. "This place certainly is busy." She's not comfortable here, but they've already paid for their room. There's no point in leaving.

"No worries, dearie, we'll be gone with the sun." he says. He plays with his mug for a moment before taking a drink. It's a good thing he can still summon things; he has enough gold in his castle to fund this expedition for at least three years, if not longer. They will not want while they travel.

(Rather, Belle will not want; Rumplestiltskin can go without food, water, or rest for far longer than this deal he's stuck in. He calmly ignores that thought.)

Belle smiles at him. "I don't mean to be a bother. I'm still a little nervous, I guess."

"I'm assuming you have every right to be." he replies. "Women don't just run from their husbands for no reason."

She raises her hand and traces the scar down her face, something dark flickering in her eyes before that smile is back. "I believe I'm far enough away now. At the very least, I have a head start. That should count for some protection." She tilts her head to the side. "Besides, there are few people willing to mess with anyone who has you as a traveling companion."

He gasps and theatrically puts a hand to his heart, pitching his voice high. "I feel so used!"

She laughs at his antics. "It's for a good cause, I assure you." she teases. It's the first time he's seen her genuinely happy since he found her in the woods. It's a rare sight to see, and now he can see how she got her name. She's pretty, to be sure, but the real beauty lies in her laughter.

One of the knights decides to introduce himself. "Such a pretty laugh for such a pretty lady." he says, sliding into the seat beside Belle. She stiffens immediately, and Rumplestiltskin has to bite back a snarl. The knight ignores him. "Why don't you come sit with me and my boys? We would enjoy your _company_." He smiles, but he's too drunk for it to be charming or reassuring.

Rumplestiltskin just watches, curious to see what Belle will do. He'll step in and help if she asks, but she has to ask. A deal is a deal, after all, even if a small part of him really hopes she'll ask. He did not kill three people just to lose his traveling companion now.

Belle contemplates the knight for a brief moment. She moves, her hand reaching for something Rumplestiltskin can't see over the table, and the knight utters a high-pitched squeal of pain. She smiles as she leans in close.

"Do. Not. Touch. Me." Message delivered, she releases him. The knight is quick to stammer an apology and scurry away – well, as much as he can _scurry_, at any rate, with his manhood crushed. As soon as he is away, Rumplestiltskin claps his hands with a delighted laugh.

"Well done, dearie!"

Belle ducks her head and smiles. "Thank you." She hides her nervous laughter behind a sip of her drink. Rumplestiltskin doesn't even bother. He can't possibly smother his giggles so easily. Soon, Belle doesn't bother to hide either. She joins him, laughing so hard her face is turning red, and that just sets Rumplestiltskin off all over again.

When they finally calm and finish their drinks (still occasionally breaking out into giggles at the way the knights avoid them afterwards) they retire to their room for the night.

Rumplestiltskin does not need to sleep, so he sits on his bed and keeps watch over the room. He closes his eyes for a moment, casting his senses wider, searching for anyone he should avoid the next day. It takes him a few hours to search the area.

A soft whimper brings him back to the small tavern room. His focus snaps to Belle. Her face is screwed up, tears leaking from her eyes. She whimpers again.

A small sigh escapes him. Of course she has nightmares. Of course. At first, he decides to do nothing. After all, he is the Dark One – what does he care if she has bad dreams? They can't hurt her. Just the same, as she begins to thrash in the bed, he realizes he can't just let her sleep. With a resigned sigh, he gets up and touches her shoulder.

She reacts. He catches her fist before she can hit him in the face. "Belle – Belle, it's just me!" At the sound of his voice, she abruptly stops struggling. She looks up at him, gasping for air. His lips quirk in a half-smile. "Not the monster you were dreaming of, dearie."

He's not sure what he's expecting her to do – roll over and go back to sleep? Apologize for waking him? Instead he finds her clinging to him, hot tears staining her cheeks and his shirt. His eyes widen. He's not quite sure what to do with his hands. "Belle?"

"He was cruel to me." she whispers. "A husband is supposed to love his wife, but he never loved me." She trembles. "I went to my papa – I thought he would help me – but Gaston already got to him. He thought I was _lying_." Her fists clench in his shirt.

And here it is – the anger is starting to win over the fear and pain. Gently, he pulls her away from his chest so he can see her face. His eyes travel to her scar. The two of them stare at each other for a moment, searching for something in the other. Belle breaks the silence first.

"I'm sorry. I hate being weak." She frees one hand from his shirt and wipes at her eyes. He offers a dry chuckle.

"There are many words I would use to describe you – weak is not one of them." he says quietly. "But hold on to that anger, dearie. It will serve you better than the fear." She nods. He gives her shoulder an awkward pat and stands up. "Now, back to sleep with you. I'll keep watch." He waits until she settles back down and closes her eyes before resuming his post on his bed.

Oh hell. What has gotten into him? He lets his head fall back against the wall.

Is this the Blue Faerie's doing? This sounds like the kind of stunt she would pull, the conniving little wench. It won't surprise Rumplestiltskin to learn later that she fully intended for him to find Belle out there. What will she do, he wonders, when the deal is finished? Attempt to strike a new one? He can almost hear her annoying voice – Which do you want, the dagger or Belle?

His lips curl into a sneer. Damn that Faerie. He won't think any more of it tonight. Tonight, he keeps guard over Belle in a silly little tavern room in a stupid little town, and he will think nothing more of it.

Tomorrow, on the other hand, things will change.

After all, the faerie didn't say he isn't allowed to actively pursue her, either. That's a journey.

A small, cruel smile curves his lips. You do not screw with the dealmaker.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Since I have quite a few chapters ahead of this written out, I'm going to apologize for how easily things seem to be going between the two. Just trust I have my reasons, and things will happen regardless.

**5**

They travel for a month. This time, Rumplestiltskin picks the directions. He is a magickal creature, after all, and magick can always find magick. No matter how hard the Blue Faerie hides, he can find her. Whether it's before the deal is finished or not remains to be seen.

Especially considering he still allows Belle to set the pace.

This annoys him. Rather, he's annoyed with himself. He knows she's a plant in the faerie's schemes, and yet he can't bring himself to hate her. In one month, he knows her well enough to know she's not willingly a part of anything. She's pleasant company, nothing more.

Even if she does slow him down.

In the mundaneness of the their travels, Belle finds herself growing attached to Rumplestiltskin. She doesn't do anything to let on – she knows he probably wants as little to do with her as possible. She won't risk that he'll break their deal, that he'll send her away. Really, he's the only protection she has if Gaston's men find her. The man has contacts in other villages, and she's not sure how far his influence reaches.

More importantly, she won't leave the only man that's ever shown her kindness.

She trails behind him as they trek through the woods. She never loses sight of him, but she doesn't always walk by his side, either. They don't always talk, but they rarely fight, and when they do, he keeps his distance from her. She knows that won't stop him if he really wants to hurt her (he killed three men after all, and frighteningly quickly at that) but it's a sign that he _doesn't want to._ That, more than anything, makes her trust him.

Gaston wanted to hurt her. He probably still does.

"So, where are we going exactly?" she asks, scaling easily up the hillside. The trees here have large roots that tend to grow aboveground, so she has plenty of footholds. She's pretty sure Rumplestiltskin did this on purpose as well, but she doesn't mention it. She just files it away and smiles to herself.

"I thought I'd find the Blue Faerie." he says airily. "Stalk her for the rest of the deal – see how long it takes to make her break."

Belle laughs. "That ought to be amusing." She hurries a little so she can walk closer to him. The sunlight is fading rapidly, and she doesn't like the thought of getting lost in these woods after dark. Not for the first time, she's glad she's wearing trousers. She could never keep up in the multi-layered skirts Gaston made her wear. "What are you going to do to her afterwards?"

"Afterwards?"

"When the deal is over. What will you do to her?"

"Why are you curious about something like that?" he demands. He's not really focused on the conversation. He's more concerned about getting the hell out of these woods before night falls completely. He forgot the cardinal rule of Tenebras Forest – it's only a shortcut _sometimes_. Only when you don't really need it, and he decided that he definitely needed it.

He's the dumbass who decided to take the sometimes shortcut rather than take Belle through the port city. Hook sometimes anchors there, and the last thing Rumplestiltskin wants is for the captain to find out about Belle. The last thing he needs is a fight right now. Later, maybe, but not right now.

Belle shrugs. "I just am. I like learning about people."

"I figured I'd just rip her wings off and see how I feel after that." he snips. He's fully prepared to dismiss it as a quip, but Belle giggles. He glances back at her. "You find that funny?"

"Somewhat." She grins. "I've always had a strange sense of humor." Her grin morphs into a frown when she realizes the pace he's setting. "What's wrong? Shouldn't we be stopping for the night?"

"Not in these woods, dearie." he says. That actually worries Belle. Anything that can keep the Dark One on the move is not something she wants to be near. She quickens her pace. He glances down at her, then reaches out and grabs her wrist, pulling her closer, silently cursing himself the entire time. He can sense the beast getting closer, and while he can fight it off no problem, Belle – well, not so much.

She snatches up a stick as they hurry past. He chuckles dryly. She rolls her eyes. "I know, but it makes me feel better." she retorts, sounding a little breathless.

He stops suddenly. This isn't going to work. The beast of the forest is attracted to his magick. He's leading it straight to them just by being here. He turns his focus to Belle, to the stick gripped tightly in her hands, and sighs. Once the light goes, the beast will be upon them, and he won't be able to protect Belle as well as he'd like.

She made a deal. He honors his deals.

"You need to run." he says abruptly. He turns her around and points through the forest. He knows that's where the exit is; he can sense it just as easily as he can sense the beast getting closer. "Go that way, and do not stop, no matter what – not until you're out of the forest." She opens her mouth to protest, but he cuts her off. "You dealt for my protection, dearie."

"You said I had to ask for it." she protests.

He leans closer. This is taking too long. "Then ask."

"No. I'll save that for when I really need it." she retorts. "But I will run. You'd better be following me, Rumplestiltskin. I'll come after you if you don't." With that she takes off through the woods, leaving him standing there wondering.

Looks like his traveling companion may become more than that after all.

Then the last of the daylight vanishes, plunging the forest into darkness. He smiles grimly.

Time for the battle to begin.

/-/

When the light vanishes, Belle trips. She hits the ground hard, the air leaving her in a single gasp. For a moment she just lays there, trying to regain her breath. Her hands grip the roots around her tightly. A scream echoes through the forest, and she flinches. _It's not him, it's not him, it's not him._ Tears prick her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. She refuses to be weak.

Still gasping for air, she forces herself to her hands and knees. She can't see – the darkness in Tenebras Forest is absolute. She'll have to feel her way out. She uses the roots the way one would use vines to climb, crawling across the ground until there are no more roots left. Suddenly the darkness is a little less total, and she looks up at the sky.

She can see the moon. She's out of the forest.

She stands up and turns around, watching the edge of the darkness. She should be able to see movement, should know when Rumplestiltskin comes through. She should know.

Another scream echoes through the forest, much fainter than the last. She can't help but flinch again. _It's not him. It can't be him._ So she stands there and waits.

Five minutes pass, ten. He doesn't come. She inches closer to the forest. Still nothing. She's trembling now, her pulse pounding in her ears. The silence is complete. Not even the screams can be heard. Finally, her control breaks.

"Rumplestiltskin!"

Suddenly he's there in front of her, as if her cry has summoned him, slightly disoriented and deadly magick dancing at his fingertips. She reaches out and takes his wrists, hardly even blinking when his magick burns her. "It's okay, you're safe now." she assures him. "You're safe."

As soon as he registers her voice, the magick disappears. Exhaustion hits him like a wave, making him stagger. Belle says something, her hands automatically going to his shoulders to steady him, but he can't make it out. The searing pain in his leg is back, and he knows before it happens that he's going down.

Belle gasps as he collapses. She tries to keep him upright, but all she can manage is slowing his decent. She looks him over, but she can't find any obvious wounds. Praying it's simply exhaustion, she takes off her cloak and covers him with it.

She'll let him sleep for the night. If she can't wake him in the morning – well, she'll figure that out if it happens.

/-/

Rumplestiltskin wakes with the first light. His leg still throbs, and he quickly uses some of his magick to heal the old wound. The fight took a lot more magick than he usually expends. He's lucky the leg and sleep is the only price he's paid so far. He sits up with a grunt.

Belle's cloak falls off of him. He blinks at it, then looks up. Belle sits against a tree, watching the path that follows the other side of Tenebras Forest, a tree branch beside her. For a moment, he can do nothing but stare.

"Have you slept at all?"

His voice startles her. She turns back to face him, a bright smile on her face. He has his answer the minute he sees her face. She didn't just not sleep. She worried about him. He wants to make some kind of quip, tell her she shouldn't have bothered, but this path is well traveled, and in his state last night, he could easily have been killed.

She protected him. No one has ever protected him before.

He stands up, gathers her cloak, and sits down again beside her. He puts the cloak around her shoulders. "Rest now, dearie. My turn to keep watch."

She smiles faintly and leans against his shoulder. "Just don't let me sleep too long. I'll never sleep tonight." she murmurs. He chuckles dryly.

He can blame the faerie for this, but he knows that's not the cause of this. No faerie can force trust, and he does trust her.

If anyone finds out about this, he is so screwed.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I want to apologize for this update taking so long. The Star Trek fandom has bitten me, and I got distracted. Plus I have a new project I'm working on this October, so don't be surprised if my updates are few and far between until November.

**6**

It's a few days later before Rumplestiltskin brings up the obvious. "Did you know you have magick?" he asks Belle. They're in yet another tavern in yet another small town, but this time he doesn't bother hiding who he is. He's been here often enough; a simple hood won't fool these people. So he sits across from her, all glittering skin in the dim light, and watches for her reaction.

Her drink pauses halfway to her lips. "I do?"

"You summoned me." he says pointedly. "Did you think just anyone could do that?"

"Honestly, that wasn't what I was trying to do." Belle sets down her drink. "But the stories say that people summon you all the time. All they have to do is say your name."

"Actually, when people call, I come. _I come_, Belle, not they _summon_ me." He's hoping she'll get the hint without him having to spell it out for her. It's one of his best-kept secrets, that everyone assumes the same way she does.

Her eyes widen. "When I called – you didn't have a choice." she whispers. "That's why you – you were still fighting when I called." He nods.

"Now you get it."

"So that means I have magick? Because I summoned you?"

"Pretty much." He leans back against the wall. "A fair amount of it, too, if a simple summoning didn't cost you anything."

Belle nods. "All magick comes with a price."

"I'm impressed, dearie. Most sorcerers don't understand that."

"I read a lot." She takes a sip of her drink. "So – if I have magick, what does that mean?" There's an eagerness in her eyes that makes him grin.

"It means I'd better start training you!" he says with a delighted giggle. "I rather like the idea of an apprentice." Belle's face lights up, but before they can carry the discussion further, another voice speaks up.

"Rumplestiltskin. What a surprise."

The imp rolls his eyes as another man approaches their table. "Fenrir. Why am I not surprised? What do you want?" He turns his glare to Fenrir. Fenrir is short and stocky, still a little taller than Belle (and hence a little taller than Rumplestiltskin, but not by much), and speaks with an accent she doesn't recognize. There's something wrong with him. His eyes are gold, too gold to be natural.

Fenrir grins. "No need to bite. I deal with tricksters in my world, I know how to deal with tricksters in this one."

"I did warn you about double-crossing Loki." Rumplestiltskin replies. "Now – what do you want?"

"I have some items in my shop to trade."

"Not in the mood, Fenrir." Really, he just wants to get back to his conversation with Belle. It was going so well, too.

"You'll like these. My price is rather fair, too."

Rumplestiltskin rolls his eyes. Belle giggles. "Something tells me I don't want to know, but I'll bite – what is your price?"

Fenrir points at Belle. "A night with her. I'll give her back in the morning." He flashes Rumplestiltskin a toothy grin. "Of course, you can survey the merchandise first. Make sure it's worth the deal." He reaches out to touch Belle's hair, only to find his wrist trapped in Rumplestiltskin's iron grip. Fenrir's eyes flash dangerously. "Oh, come now, old friend – surely she can't be that important."

Belle recognizes the hidden threat in Fenrir's words. She also knows that's not going to fly with Rumplestiltskin. He is clearly the most powerful here, no matter what Fenrir likes to think. Belle knows this.

It's why she shifts back, pressing herself against the wall and hopefully out of the line of fire when her companion loses his temper. He glances at her, then returns his attention to Fenrir. "You obviously don't understand the way I do business, dearie." he says flatly. "She's not for sale."

"I'm sure I could convince you."

"And I'm sure I can send you back to Loki in several small pieces." Rumplestiltskin retorts. He's always known one day Fenrir will insist on something he can't give. He just wishes the werewolf wasn't asking for Belle. Anything else and this _anger_ would not be present. He's going to lose control, and it will not take much to make him kill Fenrir. "I said no."

Fenrir's entire stance changes. He straightens his shoulders an jerks his wrist from Rumplestiltskin's grip. "Fine then. But I will not have you keep me from something I want." With that he turns and walks away. Rumplestiltskin watches him until he leaves the tavern. He returns his attention to Belle.

"Where were we?"

"Something about me having magick." She has so many questions, but years of dealing with Gaston has taught her to recognize a dropped subject. She learned the hard way what happens when she pushes. She flashes Rumplestiltskin a shy smile. "And maybe me as an apprentice?"

He claps his hands together, that slightly maniacal grin on his face again. "Of course! We'll start with theory first, I think. No point in using magick to regret the cost later. That's just not any fun."

From outside, Fenrir watches the two of them. That girl is far more than a deal. This could get interesting.

/-/

Their conversations lasts well into the night. They finish their drinks and evening meal and retire to their room at well past midnight. Rumplestiltskin leaves Belle to get changed and checks the perimeter as he always does. She teases him about that occasionally, but he simply reminds her of their deal. One day, she will learn exactly how seriously he takes his deals.

One day, she might even learn why.

While he's gone, Belle changes into a sleeping shirt. It comes down to just above her knees – one of the few things she's ever had of her father's – so she doesn't bother with sleep pants like she normally would. She's about to climb into bed when the door opens. She smiles. "That was fast. Did you – " She cuts herself off when she sees who is standing there. Her eyes widen. "Fenrir."

"Didn't think he'd actually leave you alone." Fenrir says with a small smirk. "His mistake." He takes a step forward. "I'd like to make you a deal. You do understand deals, right?"

She takes a step back, keeping the distance between them. "What deal?"

His smirk widens. "You don't scream, and I don't kill your companion." He takes another step. "What do you say?"

"I think Rumplestiltskin will kill you." she says flatly. "I'll fight you myself. I'm so sick of guys like you who think they can take whatever they want."

"You shouldn't be so pretty then." He laughs. "So – whaddya say? Will you be a good girl and stay quiet for me?"

"Belle, move to the side."

Rumplestiltskin stands behind Fenrir, fists clenched, magick flaring around him. Belle quickly retreats to the other side of the room, away from Fenrir. She has never seen Rumplestiltskin so absolutely _furious_, and it actually scares her. She presses herself against the wall.

Fenrir grins. "So I was right. She is important."

"More so than you, dearie." the imp bites back.

The werewolf nods. "In that case, I will take my leave." He heads to the door, but it slams shut on its own. Belle jerks with the sound. Fenrir turns his glare to Rumplestiltskin. "You're really going to do this, aren't you?"

"You trespassed, wolf." Slowly, Rumplestiltskin turns around to face him. "You won't do it again."

This is not a fight. Fenrir is no match for Rumplestiltskin, and the imp is not even pretending to play fair. Within a minute it's over. Belle watches, eyes wide with horror, as he tears the werewolf apart with his bare hands. When it's over, he's covered in blood, just like the first time she saw him. He stands there, staring at his handiwork, breathing heavily.

Slowly, Belle removes herself from the wall and approaches him. "Rumplestiltskin?" She reaches out and touches his shoulder. He flinches back.

"Are you hurt?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "No."

"Good." He snaps his fingers and the mess disappears, body and blood. He's suddenly clean as well. Slowly he turns to face her. The fear in her eyes hurts. He looks away and returns to his bed. "You should sleep, dearie."

She stands there for a moment, staring at the place where Fenrir stood. "He wasn't going to stop, was he?"

Rumplestiltskin makes a snorting sound. "I would have killed him anyway. No one double crosses me."

For a moment, Belle can't breathe. Her hand absently touches her scar. Rumplestiltskin watches her warily. "You know what I am, Belle." he says quietly. "Did you imagine me to be a _kind_ man?"

"Kind to me." she whispers. That makes him hesitate before he smirks again.

"Perhaps, but to no other. _Always_ remember that, dearie!"

For a brief moment, he thinks she's going to walk away. Then she smiles weakly and resumes her place on her bed, pulling the thin cover over her. "I can accept that." she says. "Good-night, Rumplestiltskin."

He watches her until she falls asleep.


End file.
